EP. 001

SARAH DOWNEY: Adjust the course, find happiness

Hailing from the great Midwest, then individually tumbling through many locations, Sarah Downey and her sister, Liz, landed in the same place for long enough to combine their unique talents to create something bigger. At Two Tumbleweeds they create uniquely crafted goods that inspire creativity in everyday life, the first of which was Foodie Dice.® To their surprise, when they launched it on Kickstarter they raised $156,000!

Last year they launched the HATCH notebook. Hatching ideas requires a blend of creativity and practicality, inspiration and perseverance (I use the HATCH notebook myself, and as a creative person, that helps me keep my ideas organized in one place). But now she faces the challenge of creating a totally new audience or finding a way to link HATCH and Foodie Dice under one company.

Sarah opens up and talks about how breaking her back while pursuing a career as a jockey led her to go work for her dad and learn valuable accounting skills. Skills which helped her grow her business and create happiness in her life.

In this interview we talked about work and life balance, how a happy life outside of work affects daily productivity, the challenges of creating different products and somehow linking them under one brand, if she would start from scratch again and much more

p.s.: I launched this show as the Kegs & Code podcast but I would like to let you that this is now, Dusk to Dawn podcast.

“Having a defined plan and a path is great, but I think part of being an entrepreneur is taking those leaps.”

SHARE AND INSPIRE OTHERS

]]>Kegs & Code Podcast is Live! Make it happen!https://kegscode.com/kegs-code-podcast-is-live/
Mon, 04 Sep 2017 23:19:28 +0000https://kegscode.com/?p=3317The Kegs & Code podcast is live! My inspiration to start this podcast came about when I decided to start sharing what my journey as an entrepreneur really looks like. It was about what happens before dawn and after dusk.

EP. 000

THE KEGS & CODE PODCAST IS LIVE

Since last year I knew I had a message to share but I never felt super thrilled about having a podcast about beer and wine. I thought “What’s wrong with me? Kegs & Code is about hops and grapes! The podcast HAS to be about this, you and everyone else know Kegs & Code as the company that creates beer and wine products for cool people.” For over 12 months I resisted the fire that burned inside; to help spread the word of people just like you and me who have a dream and are making it happen.

I convinced myself that a podcast about other people who are in the process of chasing their dreams had nothing to do with Kegs & Code, but it turns out that I am one of those people myself. Feeling alone, reinventing myself, finding my tribe, having doubts, having dreams.

It’s time to start spreading this message and “trusting that somehow the dots will connect.”

Do you want to regret things you didn’t do?

Do you believe there is more to life?

Are you looking for like minded people?

Are you are dreamer?

If you said, yes, yes, yes and yes, then the Kegs & Code Podcast is for you.

p.s.: if you are reading this, I would like to tell you that the Kegs & Code podcast is now, Dusk to Dawn podcast

“You don’t wake up one day and say ‘something needs to change’, and by lunch time you have it all figured out.”

SHARE AND INSPIRE OTHERS

]]>Product Launch – The Second Time Was Harderhttps://kegscode.com/product-launch-second-time-was-harder/
Tue, 14 Feb 2017 17:04:53 +0000https://kegscode.com/?p=3206The First Time When you heard of the Brew Journal on Kickstarter, it was really the first time I was putting myself out there in a big way. There was no parameter of comparison in terms of success or failure. If you had seen me fail, well, that was my first time doing a product launch. […]

When you heard of the Brew Journal on Kickstarter, it was really the first time I was putting myself out there in a big way. There was no parameter of comparison in terms of success or failure. If you had seen me fail, well, that was my first time doing a product launch. If I succeed, great that was my first time too. I had nothing to lose in terms of reputation from a business standpoint and so I went all-in. It was a hit and it changed everything — I mean… everything. Seeing my idea come to fruition in the 30 days the campaign was live was an insane feeling and really successful product launch.

It was great.

Kegs & Code was on the map! And people were digging our first product!

First time putting myself “out there” was hard, but the second product launch was harder. Comment below if you can relate to this…

The Second Time

After the Brew Journal, I went on to create the Wine Journal. Thing is… there was an invisible standard I had set for my expectations because of my first success. I didn’t even realize that until a few days before the Wine Journal was ready to hit the market. The second product launch is HARD(ER)! What if it’s not as successful as the first one? Or what if it fails so bad that drives the whole company into the ground? Oh man, this was just the beginning of the analysis paralysis.

Sure enough, it wasn’t as big as the first time.

That’s I started doubting my skills to create good products. Maybe the first time was luck (even though I don’t really believe in luck). We sold maybe 10-15 Wine Journals in the FIRST WEEK! Richard Branson said that being successful on your first try could be a bad thing; you underestimate your odds the next time around. I couldn’t have learned that just by listening to his words I guess. I had to test it out myself. Here is the biggest lesson learned from this experience: the launch of a product is just the tip of the iceberg, the leg work you do before hand is the most important thing. Nobody will ever care more about your product/company as much as you do.

Ever.

Lessons Learned

With the Brew Journal, I did so much work before hand; I talked to so many people and had a marketing campaign ready to go. On the other hand, with the Wine Journal I didn’t do that. I ASSUMED the Kegs & Code community was going to promote the Wine Journal because they really liked the Brew Journal. No, no, no, no, no. First, home brewers are not wine makers. Second, it was MY job to create a cool product launch and to promote the Wine Journal to the best of my ability.

The work that I did nearly 6 months after the Wine Journal hit the market was the work that I should have done months before I had announced the Wine Journal. Learning about the wine making industry, gaining credibility with the community, making contacts, expanding the network, meeting the influencers and most importantly; figuring out if wine makers WANT a journal to begin with.

When someone comes to me with an idea, I tell them to learn everything they can about their niche. Meet the influencers. Gain credibility. And here I am… not following my own words. Lesson learned. Better sooner than later I guess.

The third product launch that we have worked on last year was full of lessons learned as well, but that’s for another post

]]>Experimental Porter Recipehttps://kegscode.com/experimental-porter-recipe/
Thu, 07 Apr 2016 01:34:37 +0000https://kegscode.com/?p=2737The Experimental Porter Recipe uses a solid 5-gallon porter recipe as a based but then the batch is split into 5 1-gallon batches in secondary. One rests without any addition, the other four are where the Experimental parts come in with cocoa nibs, oak chips, vanilla and raspberry additions. If you were looking for a porter recipe, look no more.

]]>Last fall I decided to brew my first experimental beer. Well, “experimental.” My favorite beer style is Porter; the roasty taste, tan head and light chocolaty aroma speaks to me! Sometimes it’s hard to decide what to brew and splitting a 5-gallon batch into smaller batches in secondary sometimes is a pain – 5 fermenters, 5 airlocks, more things to clean later and so on. Totally worth it though, this experimental porter recipe was one of the best ones yet.

The Experimental Porter Recipe uses a solid porter recipe as a base but then in secondary, different ingredients are added. Cocoa nibs, oak chips, vanilla, raspberry extract and one gallon goes without any additions. I wish I had photos of the brew day but I don’t. All the beer is gone and I didn’t take any pictures of the beer in the glass either lol

I haven’t nailed the raspberry extract addition to be honest. In a homebrew club meeting a guy told me to add two drops of raspberry extract straight to the bottle, I did that but the aroma didn’t come through as I expected. Any tips would be appreciated in the comment section. I will definitely make this beer again

This is a delicious homebrew recipe and if you are debating what to brew next, give this one a shot. With further ado…

]]>Brew Journals Getting Damaged During Transithttps://kegscode.com/brew-journals-getting-damaged-transit/
https://kegscode.com/brew-journals-getting-damaged-transit/#commentsThu, 04 Feb 2016 20:17:47 +0000https://kegscode.com/?p=2583I decided to start writing more about what happens behind the scenes on a one-man-operation business. Kegs & Code has been built with sweat, sore muscles and lots of creativity to get everything done on time. Post #1: Brew Journals are getting damaged during transit.

]]>I decided to start writing more about what happens behind the scenes on a one-man-operation business. Kegs & Code has been built with sweat, sore muscles and lots of creativity to get everything done on time. The week I registered the name Kegs & Code, I made some business cards as the “CEO” of the company. After a few months I realized that unless CEO stands for Chief Everything Officer, the title of CEO didn’t mean much if you are building a business out of your garage.

The longer Kegs & Code stays in business, the more cool people I meet, the more ideas we share and the more progress we all make. Although, it seems like there is this “inside circle” that you get in once you start to work on your business that no one had told you about. Lessons that you can’t “google”, and even if you do; you won’t find much on the topic. That’s why I will start documenting the good and bad moments of the Kegs & Code journey. And hopefully, you can take away something from it

Brew Journals Getting Damaged During Transit

Thanks Thom and Heather for sending pictures of the damaged Brew Journals.

I’m deeply sorry about this and in some instances the Brew Journal was going to be a gift or there was a brew day coming up.

We handle every Brew Journal with extremely care and if we feel like it’s not a perfect product, it never leaves the warehouse. Unfortunately, we can’t control what happens after we ship the Brew Journals (or any other of our products for this matter).

On the bright side, we decided to create a box specially for the and the Wine Journal. This box will go inside another shipping box. I’m still working on the design and looking for a manufacture but everything should come together by the middle of the year.

Are you trying to build a business from the ground up too? Feel free to comment below.

]]>https://kegscode.com/brew-journals-getting-damaged-transit/feed/22016 Beer & Wine Calendarhttps://kegscode.com/2016-beer-wine-calendar/
Thu, 04 Feb 2016 03:48:41 +0000https://kegscode.com/?p=2592Being a “solopreneur” sometimes sucks because we are so wrapped up on the things we have to do on a daily basis that we forget about other things. Last year I forgot so many of these fun days to celebrate! IPA Day, Stout Day, Riesling Day and so many other fun days =\ In 2016 […]

]]>Being a “solopreneur” sometimes sucks because we are so wrapped up on the things we have to do on a daily basis that we forget about other things. Last year I forgot so many of these fun days to celebrate! IPA Day, Stout Day, Riesling Day and so many other fun days =\

In 2016 things are going to be different! I compiled a list of over 30 beer and wine holidays and created the 2016 Beer & Wine Calendar. I will print a calendar anyway, so why not add all these beer and wine days?

]]>Beat the Odds. Open a Successful Microbrewery Today.https://kegscode.com/beat-the-odds-open-a-successful-microbrewery-today/
Thu, 14 Jan 2016 01:35:59 +0000https://kegscode.com/?p=2535With the 1.5 billion dollars Powerball jackpot hype, I couldn’t help but to look up what are the odds of taking all that cash home. Well, 1 in 292 million. That’s discouraging and it’s something that is totally out of your control. On the flip side, data shows that 60% of restaurants fail in the […]

]]>With the 1.5 billion dollars Powerball jackpot hype, I couldn’t help but to look up what are the odds of taking all that cash home. Well, 1 in 292 million. That’s discouraging and it’s something that is totally out of your control.

I know I can’t start a successful microbrewery with $2 dollars but if I look at the odds; the microbrewery odds beat the lottery odds all day long.

Yes, it takes a ton of planning and long hours working on your business but that would be something that’s under my control. If I put in the hard work, day in and day out, I have a 40% chance of success (and doing something that I love). Versus, if I play the lottery – sit back and wait for the draw, I have less that 0.002% chance of winning the jackpot.

All in all, if you are a home brewer who dreams of opening your own brewery; maybe today is a good time to roll up your sleeves, start sketching a business plan (just like these guys did a few years back), and get brewing! Your aspirations may be more possible than you think! I would take hard work, tons of brewing and a 40% chance of success any day of the week.

]]>42 Wine Journals Made It ALL Possible!https://kegscode.com/42-wine-journals-made-it-all-possible/
Thu, 07 Jan 2016 02:34:40 +0000https://kegscode.com/?p=2511I said that for every Wine Journal sold during the month of December, Kegs & Code would donate $7 to Charity: Water. Guess what? We sold 42 Wine Journals!!

42 Wine Journals may not seem a lot of sales but $300 dollars will help bring 30 days of clean drinkable water to 10 people! Yes, I wish this number was higher but what matters is that 42 wine makers helped make this world a better place. And who knows, maybe in 2016 this number will be even higher!

“Reaching out and helping people will bring you more satisfaction than anything else you have ever done”.

Our first charity initiative was to help bring clean water for people in need through Charity: Water. For the next one, we are thinking about World Bicycle Relief (feel free to suggest other non-profits too). This non-profit provides bicycles for people to go to school and pursue their dream career.

This was a great way to start 2016! This will be an exciting year at Kegs & Code, there are many things in the works! We are working on new products and services that will benefit our community and everyone around us

Thank You!

]]>Wine Journal For a Causehttps://kegscode.com/wine-journal-for-a-cause/
https://kegscode.com/wine-journal-for-a-cause/#commentsThu, 03 Dec 2015 20:53:07 +0000https://kegscode.com/?p=2435For every WINE JOURNAL sold during December, we will donate $7 to Charity: Water. There is one thing that every beverage we like to enjoy around the holidays has in common: water. Clean water. Without clean water there is no wine, no beer, no whisky, no cider, no drinks at all! Yet there are 663 […]

]]>For every WINE JOURNAL sold during December, we will donate $7 to Charity: Water.

There is one thing that every beverage we like to enjoy around the holidays has in common: water.

Clean water.

Without clean water there is no wine, no beer, no whisky, no cider, no drinks at all! Yet there are 663 million people on the planet who don’t have clean water. This holiday season we decided to do something that we haven’t done before – for every Wine Journal we sell, we will donate $7 dollars to Charity: Water.

Charity: Water’s mission is simple: it’s a non-profit organization bringing clean and safe drinking water to people in developing nations.

I first heard about Charity: Water on Lewis Howes’ podcast when he interviewed Scott Harrison, the founder of Charity: Water. 1. The School of Greatness podcast is an amazing podcast for entrepreneurs. 2. Scott Harrison’s story is really inspiring. He tells how he went from night-club promoter to charity founder and has raised millions since then.

Even though Kegs & Code is a tiny company and the headquarters is my garage; we feel strong about donating 25% of the December Wine Journal sales to this amazing non-profit organization that Chartiy: Water is. This is how this is going to work:

For every Wine Journal we sell in December, we will put $7 dollars aside.

At the end of the month we will sum all these $7 dollars and make a one-time donation to Charity: Water.

For every $30 dollars we are able to donate, 1 person will have clean water for a month.

If you are a wine maker or know someone who makes wine, and you want to be part of something bigger than yourself; feel free to join us on this mission.

]]>https://kegscode.com/wine-journal-for-a-cause/feed/17 European Drinking Games (And How to Play Them)https://kegscode.com/european-drinking-games/
Tue, 23 Jun 2015 15:09:19 +0000https://kegscode.com/?p=1700European drinking games are coming to America! The guys over at GoEuro keep surprising us with these interesting infographics! It is interesting to see that each part of the world has their own cultural marks. From United Kingdom, to France, to Spain. Every country has a different game. Here are some drinking games ideas for July […]